Water curable, silane modified copolymers of alkylene-alkyl acrylates and a process for the preparation thereof by reacting a mixture containing a monomeric silane and an alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymer are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,136 to Michael J. Keogh, granted Sept. 22, 1981. The silane modified copolymers can be extruded about electrical conductors, such as wire and cable, and water cured to crosslinked products to provide coatings thereon of excellent quality.
It is customery, prior to extruding silane modified alkylene-alkyl acrylate copolymers about wires and cables, to insure removal therefrom of undesirable volatiles. The presence of undesirable volatiles could lead to the formation of voids in the extruded product, marring its appearance, degrading its physical and electrical properties and, in some instances, shortening its working life. In addition, the presence of undesirable voltatiles causes odor problems at the extruder and in the coated wire or cable. Obviously, removal of such volatiles from the silane modified copolymers, by a subsequent devolatilization step after preparation of the copolymers, increases the time and cost required to produce a coated product.